Hosiery shaping device



v Feb. 9, 1943. I A. E. VAUGHAN my 10,330

HOS IERY SHAPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Shet 1 A TTORNEYS.

, 1943. A. E. V-AUGHAN ETAL 1 ,330

HOS IERY SHAPING DEVICE Filed :Feb. 28. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1/ all1122 fl d gi v 1 'mg kazz ,Jl: W

A TTORNEYS.

.1943. A. E. VAUGHAN ml. 2,310,330 u HO SIER Y SHAPING DEVICE Filed Feb.28: 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 9, 194 3. A. E. VAUGHAN ETAL ,3

- HOSIERY SHAPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES:flzd gfyv mgglazsl new a 7- Z/ BY flizdi'eizgiiVagggi zaiaizr,

Patented Feb. 9, 1943 HOSIERY SHAPING DEVICE Andrew E. Vaughan andAndrew E. Vaughan, Jr.,

Pottstown, Pa., assignors to The Vaughan Knitting Company, Pottstown,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 28, 1941, SerialNo. 381,034

14 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for shaping hosiery in preparation forpacking and marketing. More particularly it has reference to a hosieryshaping and creasing device of the type disclosed in a copending patentapplication Serial No. 288,592 filed by us on August 5, 1939, suchdevice being characterized. by a hosiery mounting form with a fiathorizontal foot portion atop a transversely flat leg portion and angularcavities or depressions in opposite sides of an ankle portion at thejuncture of said foot and leg portions; by presser blocks which snuglyfit into said cavities or depressions; and by a creasing means forengaging a transverse creasing groove at the front of said ankleportion.

The chief aim of the present invention is to enhance the practicabilityof stocking shaping devices of the type specifically referred to. Thisobjective we attain, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, throughprovision of means whereby the presser blocks and the creaser areseparately supported for movement into and out of operative relation tothe form, and through provision of simple and reliable means determiningsuch movements of the blocks and the creaser simultaneously.

In connection with a stocking shaping device characterized as above andheated by steam or other hot fluent medium under pressure, it is afurther aim of our invention to enable use of the pressure fluid toactuate the means by which the required movements are imparted to thepresser blocks and the creaser. This latter -blective we realize inpractice, as also more fully set forth later herein through provision ofan actuating cylinder and valve means for controlling the admission andexhaust of the pressure fluid into and from such cylinder.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the followingdescription of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of our improved hosiery shaping and creasing device with itsmovable parts in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a view like Fig. l with the movable parts in retractedposition. 7

Fig.3 shows the device in front elevation.

Fig. 4 shows the device in top plan with a portion in horizontalsection.

Fig. 5 shows the elevation of the left hand side of the device. 7

Fig. 6 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in. verticalsection taken as indicated by the angled arrows VIVI in Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrowsVII-VII in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the presser blocks of the device.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in sectiontaken as indicated by the angled arrows IX-IX in Fig. 5 and drawn to asomewhat larger scale.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an infant's sock or stocking afterbeing shaped and creased by our improved shaping device.

Fig. 11 shows the sock or stocking after the leg portion has been foldeddown upon the foot portion as determined by the creasing.

Fig. 12 shows the reverse side of the folded sock or stocking.

Figs. 13 and 14 are views in front elevation corresponding to Fig. 3,and showing two modified forms of our improved hosiery shaping andcreasing device.

Figs. l5, l6 and 17 are views in turn like Fig. 3 showing threeadditional modifications.

Fig. 18 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the angled arrowsXVIIIXVIII in Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a view corresponding to Fig. 18 and showing still anothermodification.

With reference first more particularly to Figs. 1-9 of these drawings,the embodiment of our invention there shown includes an upright hosiery.mounting form I which is of integral construction and hollowthroughout, with a fiat horizontally disposed foot portion 2 at the topof a transversely fiat vertical leg portion 3. As shown, the heel end ofthe foot portion 2 extends rearward of and somewhat overhangs the legportion as at 4, and has a relatively sharp medial peripheral edge 5.The leg portion 3 of the form I is likewise provided with relativelysharp edges 6 medially of its sides. The foot portion 2 is connectedwith the leg portion through an ankle portion whereof the front and rearsurfaces I and 8 are fiat and diverge upward relative to each other atan acute angle. In each side of the ankle portion is a cavity formed bythree inwardly converging flatplanes 9, l0 and l I.' These planes 9-! I,it will be noted from Figs. 2 and 6, are defined by three straight lineswhich intersect in a common point. Arranged to fit snugly into therespective cavities are counter-configured presser blocks l2; andextending transversely of the inclined front face I of the ankle portionof the form is a straight line creasing groove l3. Insofar as describedup to this point, our improved shaping device is substantially identicalwith that shown and described in the prior patent applicationhereinbefore referred to.

In accordance with our present invention, the form I is provided with abase portion I5 which extends beyond the opposite side edges of the legportion 3, and which is transversely rounded to fit down over ahorizontal supply pipe I 6 for steam or other fluid heating medium underpressure, with the vertically divided hollow of the form in registrywith ports in the top of said pipe, see Fig. 6. A compressible gasket llinterposed between the concaved base I5 and. the pipe IS, insures afluid tight juncture when the securing screws shown at I8 are fullydrawn up. Also in accordance with our present invention, the presserblocks I2 are supported near the top ends of a pair of vertical arms I9.At their lower ends, these arms I5 are bifurcated as at 29 to engageover fulcrum bosses 2I on projections 22 extending laterally in oppositedirections from the form I directly above the base I5, to which bossessaid arms are connected by transverse pivot pins 23. As shown in Fig. 3,the projections have screw shanks 25 which threadedly engage into theform I. This construction allows adjustment of the pivot centers 23 forthe arms I9, the adjustment in each instance being flxable by a jam nut25. Extending horizontally outward from each presser block I2 is a pinstud 2'! which is slidable endwise in a guide 28 secured by screws 29 tothe corresponding supporting arm Is. A helical spring 33 (Fig. 4)surrounding the pin 21 within the hollow of the guide 28 and incompression between a shoulder 3| on said pin and an annular shoulder 32interiorly of said guide permits yielding of the block as the latter isthrust into the corresponding side recess of the form. The free movementof each presser block I2 relative to the arm I5 is limited by a collar33 at the outer end of the pin 21, said collar being secured by a setscrew 54 whereof the shank passes through a longitudinal slot 34a at thecorresponding end of the guide 28 to prevent the pin from turning insaid guide. For the purpose of actuating the arms I9 to move the blocksI2 into and out of operative relation relative to the form I, we haveprovided mechanism including a vertical slide bar 35 to which, at thelower end, is secured a block 36. As shown, this block 36 extends intothe slideway 31 of a guide 38 (Figs. 3 and 6) secured by screws 39 to amachined pad at the front of the form immediately above the base I5.Through a pair of toggle links M, the presser block carrying arms I9 arecoupled with a pivot screw 42 on the slide bar 35. Fulcrumed to swing ona stud 43 projecting forwardly from the guide 38 adjacent the bottom endof the latter is an actuating crank handle 45 whereto is secured byscrews 46, a sectoral plate 47 with an eccentric cam slot 48 which isengaged by a roller 49 freely revolvable about a stud projection 50 onthe block 35. At the top of the slide bar 35 is a vertically adjustablecreaser 5| which is adapted to engage into the transverse groove I3 inthe inclined front face I of the ankle portion of the form I. As shownin Figs. 1-3, the creaser BI is fashioned from a single length of wirewith provision of a crosswise portion 52 at the top to fit the creasinggroove I3 of the form, and pendant shanks 53 which engage parallelvertical grooves 55 at the upper end of the slide bar 35. A headed screw56 serves to clamp the creaser in position on the slide bar 35.

In the use of the shaping device, the actuating crank handle G5 is swungto the position shown in Fig. 2 with attendant downward movement of theslide bar 35 by action of the cam slot 48 in the plate 41 upon theroller 49 on said bar. As a consequence, the presser blocks I2 areretracted as the arms I9 are swung outward away from the form I underthe influence of the toggle links 4|, and the creaser 5| at the sametime retracted from the creasing groove IS in the ankle portion I ofsaid form. With this preparation, a sock S is slipped downwardly overthe form and the actuating handle 45 swung to the position shown in Fig.1, whereby the arms I9 are moved inward to lodge the presser blocks I2within the cavities at the sides of the form, the creaser 5I being.concurrently thrust into the creasing groove I3 as shown in Fig. 9. Thesock is left on the form I for a short time to permit its shaping underthe influence of the heat, and upon subsequent removal appears, as shownin Fig. 10, so creased as to predetermine down-folding of the footflatly upon the leg as in Figs. 11 and 12. A coiled biasing tensionspring 5! engaged at one end with a fixed anchorage 58 on the base I5 ofthe form I and at the other end with an eye 59 on the crank handle 45,maintains the latter in either of its extreme positions.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13, control of the hosiery shapingdevice is effected through a foot treadle 60 fulcrumed midway of itslength on a stud 6| in a mounting 62 secured to the floor F. A cable 63with its ends connected to opposite ends of the treadle 60 runs over apair of spaced idler pulleys or sheaves 55, 66 at the front of the formbase I5, and at its mid point is secured to the end of an integral arm6'! on the cam sector 41. Thus, with this arrangement, as the left handend of the treadle 60 is depressed as shown in Fig. 13, the arms I9 aremoved inward toward the form I as the slide bar 35 is elevated under theinfluence of the cam sector 4?. Depression of the right hand end of thetreadle 60 will obviously result in downward movement of the slide bar35 and outward movement of the arms I9. As shown, the biasing spring 5'!is in this instance connected at one end to an eye 68 on the cam sector4'! so as to function in the same manner as in the first describedembodiment of our invention.

In the modification shown in Fig. 14, the cam member 41 is secured to agear pinion 10 which meshes with a gear sector I! free on a fulcrum studI2 extending forwardly from the lower end of a central downwardprojection I3 on the base portion I5 of the form I. Pendant from thegear sector H is an actuating arm I5, which, when swung in the directionof the arrow in Fig. 14, will, through the medium of said gear sector,the pinion I0 and the cam 41 cause concurrent downward movement of theslide bar 35 and outward movement of the two arms I9. In this case, thebiasing spring 51 is connected at one end to an anchorage 16 on the studI2, while its other end is connected to an eye I! on the cam member 41as in Fig. 13.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 15, the slide bar 35 is providedat its lower end with a plunger which is confined to up and downmovement in a vertical cylinder 8| at the front of the lower end of theleg portion 3 of the form I. Axially pendant from the plunger 80 andpassing through a guide aperture in a screw plug 82 at the bottom of thecylinder 8I is a rod 83 Whereto is connected at its lower end, a link 85which may in turn be connected to a foot treadle or any other suitableactuating member or element, not shown. A helical spring 86 surroundingthe rod 83 within the cylinder 8| and in compression between the plunger80 and the screw plug 82, tends to maintain the slide bar 35 and thearms I9 in the extreme positions in which they are shown in Fig. 15.Downward pull on the rod 03 against the resistance of the spring 86will, on the other hand, be attended by concurrent depression of theslide bar 35 and outward movement of the pressure block carrying armsI9. It is to be noted that the force of the spring 86 may be regulatedby adjusting the screw plug 82 in the cylinder 8|. In this embodiment ofmy invention, the presser blocks I2 are rigidly connected to the armsI9.

In the modification featured in Fig. 16 a cross-- wise helical tensionspring 90 extends between the pivot studs 9| by which the outer ends ofthe links II are connected to the arms i9, and tends to maintain themovable parts in the positions illustrated. In this instance, the slidebar 35 is prolonged downwardly as at 92 for direct guidance in avertical slideway 93 at the front of the leg portion 3 of the form. Atits lower protruding end the slide bar 35 carries a roller 94 which liesin'the path of a depressing cam 95 on the link 96 of a chain 91 confinedto horizontal movement in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 16 in'afixed guide channel 98. As the cam 95 over-travels the roller 94, thethrust bar 35 will obviously be depressed, the resistance of the spring90 overcome and the arms I9 swung outwardly away from the shaping form Iin an obvious manner. Several unitsof the chain following the link 96may be provided with hold down lugs 99 to keep the roller 94 depressedwith the arms I9 retracted and thereby afiord sufficient time forunloading and reloading of the form. With this arrangement, it will beseen that a series of shaping forms mounted at intervals along the pipeI6 may be operated automatically in succession and the hosiery shapingand creasing process thereby carried out in a minimum of time.

In Figs. 17 and 18, a piston I is mounted at the lower end of acylindric downward prolongation IOI of the slide bar 35. As shown, thepiston I00 operates in a vertical cylinder I02 at the front of the legportion 3 of the form I, the part IOI of the slide bar 35 passingthrough a screw cap I03 which closes the top of the cylin-- der I02. Thespring shown at I05 exerts downward pressure upon the piston I00 therebynormally tending to keep the slide bar 35 depressed and the arms I9fully retracted. Lodged in the base of the cylinder I02 is a horizontalaxis three way rotary valve I06. When this valve I06 is in the positionshown in Fig. 18, pressure fluid is admitted from the hollow of the formI by way of a lateral port I01 into the bottom of the cylinder I02 as aconsequence of whichthe piston I02 is lifted against the pressure of thespring I05, the thrust bar 35 raised, and the arms I9 retracted relativeto the form. When the valve I06 is turned clockwise through an angle ofninety degrees in Fig. 18 by means of its actuating handle I08, thepressure fluid previously admitted to the bottom of the cylinder I02 isexhausted through an outlet port shown at I09, whereby the piston I00 isreleased to the action of the spring I05 and the slide bar 35 and thearms I9 restored to retracted positions.

In Fig. 19, the cylinder H0 in which the piston III at the lower end ofthe slide bar 35 moves is double acting and controlled by a horizontalaxis valve H2 in the cylinder base. With the valve II2 inv the positionshown, pressure fluid is admitted by way of a port II3 into the top ofthe cylinder IIO to depress the piston III, while the bottom of saidcylinder is being exhausted by wayof the port I I5 then in registry witha laterally-discharging outlet port IE6 by way of a by-pass III in saidvalve. When the valve H2 is turned clockwise through a right angle bymeans of its operating handle II8, it will be seen that pressure fluidwill be admitted through the port II5 into the bottom of the cylinderIIO to elevate the piston III and with it the slide, bar 35, while atthe same time the upper end of said cylinder is exhausted by way of theport N3, the by-pass II! and another discharge port shown at II9.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with foot,leg and ankle portions and having creasing cavities at opposite sidesthereof, and a creasing groove crosswise of the front of the ankleportion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities of the form; a pair ofarms swingable about pivots which are fixed in respect to the form andsupporting the presser blocks with capacity for movement laterally intoand out of the cavities; a creaser fitting the creasing groove at thefront of the ankle portion of the form; means for supporting the creaserfor movement into and out of the creasing groove; means connecting thearms aforesaid with the creaser supporting means, whereby, as thecreaser is moved into its groove, the presser blocks are concurrentlymoved into the cavities aforesaid, and vice versa.

2. A hosiery shaping device including a mounting form with a footportion connected, through an ankle portion, with a leg portion, saidform having creasing cavities at opposite sides of the ankle portion anda creasing groove transversely of the front of said ankle portion;presser blocks conformative with said cavities; a creaser elementconformative with said groove; a pair of supporting arms swingable aboutpivots which are fixed with respect to the form, and supporting thepresser blocks for movement into and out of the cavities; a separatesupport for the creaser; and means for concurrently actuating said armsand said support to move said blocks and the creaser into and out of thecavities and the groove respectively.

3. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities ofthe form; a pair of upright arms pivotally connected to the form at thebottom and carrying the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; a slide confined to up and down movementin a fixed vertical guide; a pair of toggle links by which the arms arecoupled with the slide; and actuating means for shifting the slide upand down to move the presser block carrying arms toward and away fromthe form.

4. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities ofthe form; a pair of upright arms pivotally connected to the form at thebottom and carrying the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; a slide confined to up and down movementin a fixed vertical guide; a pair of toggle links by which the arms arecoupled with the slide; cam means cooperative with a projection on theslide to shift the slide up and down and thereby efiect move ment of thepresser block carrying arms toward and away from the form; and means foractuating said cam means.

5. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities ofthe form; a pair of upright arms pivotally connected to the form at thebottom and carrying the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; a slide confined to up and down movementin a fixed vertical guide; a pair of toggle links by which the arms arecoupled with the slide; a cam member mounted for oscillation about afixed fulcrum and having an eccentric cam slot which is engaged by aprojection on the slide; and means for swinging the cam member inopposite directions to effect, through the slide, movement of thepresser blcck carrying arms toward and away from the form.

6. A hosiery shaping device according to claim 3, wherein the form isprovided with a creasing groove crosswise of the front of its ankleportion; and further including a creasing member on the slide which assaid slide moves upward is thrust into the creasing groove concurrentlywith inward movement of the presser block carrying arms to lodge thepresser blocks within the side cavities of the form.

'7. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with anankle portion intermediate foot and leg portions, and with creasingcavities at opposite sides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fittingthe side cavities of the form; means connected to the form andindividually supporting the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; actuating means for so moving thepresser block supporting means; and means whereby the presser blocks areconnected to their respective supports with ability to yieldindependently as they enter the side cavities of the form.

8. A hosiery shaping device according to claim 3, in which the presserblocks have outward pin projections slidable endwise in guides on therespective supporting arms; and wherein springs within the guides andinfluential upon the pin projections permit independent yielding of thepresser blocks as the latter are placed within the side cavities of theform.

9. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creas ing cavities at oppositesides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities ofthe form; a pair of upright arms pivotally connected to the form at thebottom and carrying the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; a slide confined to up and down movementin a fixed vertical guide; a pair of toggle links by which the arms arecoupled with the slide a cam member mounted for oscillation about afixed fulcrum and having an eccentric cam slot which is engaged by aprojection on the slide; and a medially pivoted foot treadle connectedby a cable with an arm on the cam member, whereby the latter may beswung in opposite directions to effect, through the slide, movement ofthe presser block carrying arms toward and away from the form.

10. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of said ankle portion; presser blocks fitting the side cavities ofthe form; a pair of upright arms pivotally connected to the form at thebottom and carrying the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation to the form; a slide confined to up and down movementin a fixed vertical guide, a pair of toggle links by which the arms arecoupled with the slide; means tending to yieldingly maintain the slidein one of its extreme positions; and a travelling cam adapted to coactwith a projection on the slide to move it to the other of its extremepositions in opposition to said yielding means.

11. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of the ankle portion, said form being hollow for circulationthrough it of a fluid heating medium like steam under pressure; presserblocks fitting the side cavities of the form; mean connected to the formand supporting the presser blocks for movement into and out of operativerelation relative to the form; a fluid pressure cylinder with a pistontherein for actuating the presser block supporting means; and valvemeans for controlling admission and exhaust of some of the pressurefluid used in heating the form into and from the cylinder to move thepiston and thereby effect, through the slide, actuation of the presserblock carrying arms in the manner aforesaid.

1 2. A hosiery shaping deviceincluding a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of the ankle portion, said form being hollow for circulationthrough it of a fluid heating medium like steam under pressure; presserblocks fitting the side cavities of the form, means connected to theform and supporting the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation relative to the form; a fluid pressure cylinder witha piston therein for actuating the presser block supporting means; aspring in one end of the cylinder influential in moving the piston inone direction; and valve means for controlling admission and exhaust ofsome of the pressure fluid used in heating the form into the oppositeend of the cylinder to move the piston in opposition to the spring.

13. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankle portion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of the ankle portion, said form being hollow for circulationthrough it of a fluid heating medium like steam under pressure; presserblocks fitting the side cavities of the form; means connected to theform and supporting the presser blocks for movement into and out ofoperative relation relative to the form; a fluid pressure cylinder witha piston therein for actuating the presser block supporting means; andvalve means for controlling admission of some of the pressure fluid usedin heating the form, alternately into opposite ends of the cylinder toeffect movement of the presser block supporting means in the manneraforesaid.

14. A hosiery shaping device including a hosiery mounting form with ahorizontal foot portion at the top connected, through an ankleportion,with a vertical leg portion, and with creasing cavities at oppositesides of the ankle portion, said form being hollow for circulationthrough it of a fluid heating medium like steam under pressure; presserblocks fitting the side cavities of the form; a pair of upright armspivotally connected to the form at the bottom and carrying the presserblocks for movement into and out of operative relation to the form; aslide confined to up and down movement in a fixed vertical guide; a pairof toggle links by which the arms are coupled with the slide; a fluidpressure cylinder; a piston aifixed to the slide and disposed within thecylinder; and valve means for controlling admission and exhaust of someof the pressure fluid used in heating the form into and from thecylinder to move the piston and thereby effect, through the slide,actuation of the presser block carrying arms in the manner aforesaid.

ANDREW E. VAUGHAN.

ANDREW E. VAUGHAN, JR.

